FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
GURU SMT. SUSHMA BENEGAL – BANE is the daughter of Smt. Ashalatha Reve – Benegal and Shri Shridhar Kaup Benegal. She has been in the field of dance for 52 years and is a Ph.D in Indian Classical Dance (under the guidance of Dr. Smt. Uma Rele). She is also a Yoga instructor, Dance Choreographer, Senior Dance Examiner, Zonal coordinator and Dance Judge.
Her journey in dance began at a very tender age under the tutelage of the Legendary Guru Late Shri. Vasudeva Panniker. Here she received very traditional, authentic and intensive training in Bharata Natyam, in the Guru – Shishya – Parampara mode of education.
In the field of Bharata Natyam, Dr. Smt. Sushma Benegal-Bane is a Meritorious Post Graduate in Bharata Natyam from the very prestigious Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya – (the only Classical Dance College affiliated to Mumbai University). Guru. Smt. Sushma was a Mumbai University topper in theory, in her Post Graduation (M.F.A). She has had the privilege of being trained in the theoretical aspects of dance from the late Padma Bhushan Dr Kanak Rele while she was in Nalanda. In view of her artistic growth, she was invited to be on the teaching panel, in the hobby section of Nalanda Dance Research Centre.
She is a distinction holder in the prestigious ‘Teacher Training Diploma in Yogic Education ‘ – Yoga Vidya Niketan, scoring highest in three subjects.
Smt. Sushma Benegal- Bane has been a judge for various noted inter-school and inter – Collegiate competitions as well as a Senior Chief Guest for various Classical Dance events, Arangetrams and Dance festivals. She has choreographed numerous dances and dance ballets for prominent events and festivals, one of them being the ‘Platinum Jubilee Celebrations’ of the Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishva Vidyalaya. She has had the honour of performing overseas and close to home in the Uttara Chidambaram temple.
Smt. Bane has presented various Research papers at prominent gatherings. She also performed and presented her research at the International Congress for Dance Research- CID UNESCO. Her recent Research paper on dance was well appreciated and published in the GAP PARAMPARA (A GLOBAL JOURNAL OF ART, AESTHETICS AND CULTURE)
Guru Smt. Bane envisions classical dance as a means towards a holistic way of life. She aims to project and promote it as a medium of Value Education. She includes her deep study of Hatha Yoga and the Brahma Kumari’s Rajayoga, as the foundation of all her teaching methods, as well as to the administrative structure of Om Shanti Nrityalaya Evam Sanshodhan Kendra.
Guru Smt. Bane presently presides as :
- Examiner for Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya (College section)
- Examiner for Nalanda Dance Research Centre (Hobby section)
- Zonal Coordinator, Senior Examiner and on the Syllabus Drafting Committee of Bharatiya Sangeet Samiti
- Member of the International Dance Council - CID UNESCO (Paris)
She has been conferred with the prestigious titles Natya Ratna’ and ‘Nritya Tarangini’ for her valuable contribution to the field of dance.
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illustrations by Mrinal Ramesh Ghodke